Whittier First United Methodist Church

When our hearts are heavy with fear and panic, we turn to the Lord to be our hope and salvation!  Let us empty our hearts from the burdens that do not belong there.  Instead, with a child-like faith, we find our spirits renewed in God's love!

Water brings everything to life; we need it to live and for the world to exist!  For our souls, we need more than just physical water.  Jesus said his truth and message will satisfy the deep longing of our hearts.  Plus, this living water is for everyone!  Are you thirsty?

There cannot be security without brokenness or satisfaction without hunger. The journey to the promise land is through the wilderness.

We are all in a spiritual journey, a pilgrimage of the heart, to find connection with God and each other. The cry of our hearts is ”Show Me Your Way O Lord” (Psalm 25:4). In this journey we must learn to listen to the God who is already instructing and guiding us on this path. As Henri Nouwen says, “Praying is first and foremost listening to Jesus, who dwells in the very depths of your heart. He doesn't shout. He doesn't thrust himself upon you. His voice is an unassuming voice, very nearly a whisper, the voice of a gentle love."  Will you join us in this journey?

When was the last time you talked to God? When was the last time God talked back? The Lenten season calls us into "conversations" with God—not just one-way petition prayers, but an open heart and quiet mind that allows the still, small voice of God to come through. How do we carve out sacred space to hear and study the Living Word during these 40 days and beyond? And just what might God have to say if we really listened?

All You Need is Love' sung by The Beatles, is more true today than ever.  In this isolated & lonely world we have the power to share this love by extending attention & affection to each other: a handshake, fist bump, hug, embrace, kiss on the cheek, etc. What sustains us in this world is the love of Christ; let us share the love!

Do you remember how it felt when you were a child, and someone stronger held you in their arms? Do you recall that feeling of knowing that your parent or family will take care of you? As children of God, may we come to know God's abundant grace and generosity in a new and fresh way!

There is a possibility that every person we encounter has something to offer us: a blessings, a lesson, a gift.  If we stay open, perhaps we will also see the face of Jesus in each person. Christ serves us; let us serve as If we are serving Christ directly!so

What ever we do in life, we take baby steps first. From learning how to walk to learning how to use a walker, it takes practice & patience. It is the same with following Jesus. We practice, practice, practice until we can teach others about God's love.

In speaking about “Passionate Worship”, the shift from an event-even performance-to an experience, I borrow the words of Bishop Schnase, the author of Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. ‘Worship describes those times we gather deliberately seeking to encounter God in Christ. We cultivate our relationship with God and with one another as the people of God. We encounter a fresh vision of God's reality in Christ so that God's Spirit can reshape our lives and for us into the Body of Christ.

Have you ever experienced authentic hospitality? This is a place where the host is not only interested in your care but curious about you!  God shows us what authentic hospitality looks like, as we are ALL invited in with an open heart, open mind, and an open door!

2020 is here; we need clarity and vision for the New Year. We are called to see the value and worth of others through the empowerment of the Spirit. May God give us insight and a broader perspective through the lens of love.

Christmas is about hoping and dreaming of a world where compassion becomes our compass, where the love of Jesus brings light and healing to the world.  It might seem too idealistic; but dreaming and hoping are the first steps towards receiving the Christ-child in our lives. We dream first and then put our dreams into actions! Will you dream with me?

This week the Nutcracker goes to the Nativity as we conclude our sermon series with the Children's Pageant and brief message about gifts the unexpected, the unwanted, the ones we didn't even know we needed but that change our lives and our hearts completely.

As the Nutcracker comes to life, he must face the evils that lurk in the night. The Mouse King attacks him and he is facing the fight of his life. This is true for all of us: we too must face the darkness that comes against us. Yet, in all of this, God is Emmanuel, the one who is with us!

Christmas music can help us feel connected to the Christ-Child.  This orchestra and harp was a part of our worship 12.15.19.  Enjoy!

In the Nutcracker, Godfather Drosselmeyer gives Clara many gifts. Yet her attention is turned to the Nutcracker. She sees value in what appears mundane at first. May we, like Clara, pay attention to the true essence of Christmas: an opportunity for our faith in Christ to be renewed:

With so many decorations and flashy decor, we can get lost in the appearance of Christmas. How do we, like Clara in the Nutcracker, learn to wait for the true gift found in humility? How do we receive instruction and love? How do we defeat those forces that fight against us? How do we notice the love of God offered to us through an infant named Jesus? Let us prepare our hearts to notice the Christ being born among us!

The same way that anxiety & worry can spiral out of control, thanksgiving spirals towards heaven. When we start to recognize the blessings in our lives, we get a glimpse of God's joy & peace!  It starts with being grateful with the first thing that we all have: breath!    

There are two types of perspectives in life: 1) We have enough to share or 2) There is never enough. This fear of not having enough is a poison in our lives that drains our wellbeing. God invites us to surrender our fears, and to exchange it for hope and peace. Let us take a step of faith and trust in God's way of life.

What comes first: Generosity or Wellbeing? Do generous people experience wellness or do people who experience wellness tend to be more generous? Either way, the scriptures are clear that both a generous spirit and wellbeing come from God who generously gives us life!

Each and every one of us long for a life that is happy and healthy. We want to live lives that are meaningful and joyful. The key component in all of this is to choose generosity. The sci- ence is in: Generosity is connected to happier and healthier lives! Plus, Jesus and the early Christians had this all figured out. We have a lot to learn from them!

It is very easy to take Scripture out of context. People pick and choose verses all the time to suit their needs, the meaning that they want it to have, or even to hurt and condemn others. As Disciples of Christ it is important for us to know how Jesus would have looked at the Old Testament. And how the wonderful words of the Bible are relevant and vital today.

Life is difficult, with many demands. When we face the stress of life, what are we called to do? God promises to provide, but we also have to do our part to find the answer. It is when we take those steps of faith that we find God already working on our behalf.

Have you ever encountered coincidences or repeated events that cause you to pause? Have you ever wondered if God was trying to get your attention? In Scripture this week, God uses a talking animal to highlight God's presence and a person's attitude. Let's pay close attention: God is on the move to bring blessings!

Identity is the qualities, beliefs, personality, looks and/or expressions that make a person.  Each one of us must come to terms with who we are; then we can be awakened to God's joy for our unique identity and realize that we are all God's children!  In our commitment to God, we find our best selves!

The Scriptures have some of the most interesting, yet odd, stories. Stories about giants, a talking donkey, and a coin found in a fish are all in the Christian Scriptures.Yet, these stories are not just folklore; they highlight the human condition in need of grace, identity and God.

It is amazing that Ancient Wisdom holds so much truth and relevance for us today. Who thought that Proverbs would instruct us on how to deal with internet comment threads, quarrels with spouses, coworkers, arguing adolescents, and even speaking to dark issues of depression and suicide? Join us this Sunday as we continue our scripture study by exploring practical ways to keep our calm and use words that bring life and hope.

“In a world where information is so easily attainted, where do we find wisdom? And when we receive information, how do we discern what to do with it? Not everything we hear in the media is accurate or relevant to our lives. This is why we must return to the ancient Wisdom in the biblical book of Proverbs; in these short spiritual teachings we learn to take a closer look at our selves in the sight of a generous loving God.” -Pastor Angela

Life brings plenty of struggle and pain. We need to come together at every opportunity to celebrate the gi

When we find ourselves needing direction, we are invited to seek God in prayer. When we need insight and wisdom, we can choose to abstain from "regular" life to pay closer attention to God's voice. Even abstaining from certain foods, for a season, can help us center our attention to God's spiritual food. Let's reorient ourselves to God's distinct voice!

Join us as we continue to consider the connections between "Food and Faith" in our Sunday series. Finding food in famine may have been much harder in Ruth and Naomi's time, finding--and keeping--faith for us can seem like spiritual starvation. Explore the idea of a God of Divine "coincidences" that provides abundantly, often in ways we could never imagine.

With the world around us changing all the

Each person needs to find worth and value. This is especially important in a family system. But sometimes, we find ourselves holding more power or opportunity than others. Will we use it to empower others or for our own advantage? Our story this week is about two brothers who used power against each other to find value and worth. Will you join us as we explore what the scriptures tell us about power and love?3

Food has a way of marking specific events and seasons in our lives. When we celebrate birthdays, we share with dessert. When we lose a loved one, we comfort each other with food. Likewise, in scripture food marks specific spiritual events! Join us in exploring the Old Testament stories through the lens of Food & Faith.

When thinking about suffering; peace, hope, and boasting are not the first words that come to mind. The idea that "suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope" can be a painful pill to swallow, especially in the midst of despair. How does the light of hope figure into the world's-- and our personal-- darkness? How is love the cause of grief and yet, relief and release from it?

"When we use titles, we honor people for their position, abilities or education.   When Jesus' message and lifestyle changes our lives, what can we say to honor him?  What is the most amazing title we can give Jesus?   How do we show our devotion?"

Most of us have asked the questions "What happens after death?" Some say that nothing happens, and that we cease to exist. Others claim that we recycle through, eventually ending up with a different body. Jesus taught us that life continues, but not in our physical bodies. The Scriptures tell us that we have spiritual bodies and one day we will return back to God who is our Creator. As Christians, our hope is in the living Christ.

What is a miracle?  How do we know if we've experienced it?  Is God the one who orchestrated this miracle?  What if miracles are occurring around us and we miss them?  What if we are called to be a part of the miracle? 

Our spiritual journey includes reading and hearing stories.  We will consider the potential answers to this question and also celebrate fathers, mentors, grandfathers, role models, and local friends who painted our pictures of life.  Our morning message thoughts will come from John L. Peel, one of our laity leaders.  He plans to share stories about Richard Ward, Don Jenkins, Harry Ernst, John Behymer, and maybe even a few more.             Ha

Along the Spiritual Journey, we have questions that rise up. These questions are a sign that we are actively growing spiritual- ly. Many times the spiritual questions are much much more important than the answers. Until we begin asking, we can't even come closer to the answers. The most amazing part in this is that God will ALWAYS meet us in the questions.

“Some of us wrestle with horrible things that feel overwhelming to the heart and mind. People struggle with depression and anxiety, with panic attacks and fears, or with mental illness. As dark as these moments feel, there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God!”

“Freedom is to worship as we want, to live fully as we like, and to choose for ourselves what is right! God gives us freedom; but freedom is not only for us but for the people around us. When we truly live in freedom, we desire freedom for those around us as well!”

Live Sermon RecordingWhittierFirstUMC.comHave you questioned God's existence, or wondered if the Christian faith was just made up? Doubting is a form of questioning. The Good news is that God welcomes our questions & doubts and is able to meet us with the answers that satisfy our being. Let us question together!" - Pastor Angela